Tag Archives: Portfolio

Almost a decade ago, in 2006, I, along with a Danish friend, made a series of exploratory treks into the remote Himalayan jungles of the Daranghati Wildlife Sanctuary in Himachal Pradesh. We were conducting a preliminary survey for the presence of the elusive and rare Western Tragopan. The locals call the Western Tragopan the Jujurana or the king of birds (Juju = bird and rana = king), in my opinion a much more appropriate name for such a regal bird.

In all we must have spent about a month in the mountains. It was tough but it was also one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. You can read a more detailed write-up about those treks here http://somendras.com/?p=283 .

We were birding around Kaza, in the Spiti valley, on a clear and sunny afternoon late in September. Despite the sun, there was a chill in the air. It was late in the “season”, and the bird activity had slowed down substantially. Most migrants had already left for their winter abode. There were patches of ice on the stream, the night temperatures were already dipping below the freezing point.

Chitkul, the last village in the Baspa valley, is a birdwatchers’ paradise. It is one of the few places in the western Himalayas that are higher than 3000m and are still accessible by road. To top it all, it is located in the Raksham-Chitkul wildlife sanctuary.

I have spent a lot of time birding in the areas around Chitkul. The Pink-browed Rosefinch (Carpodacus rodochrous) is a common but very beautiful bird of this region. I have spent hours observing this bird in and around Chitkul. This painting is inspired by a sighting of a male on a dry bush. In this painting I have tried to capture the experience of seeing such a beautiful bird while alone in the wilderness of the Himalayas. Hope you enjoy it.

It was early in the season. We were climbing a steep trail near Chitkul in the Baspa valley on a clear day. A cool crisp breeze was flowing. The landscape was waking up from its winter slumber, and getting ready for the summer. Snow was still lying in the spots protected from the sun but in the sunny patches flowers were blooming.

It was a crispy cold December day. I was on an assignment, to photograph the Forest Rest Houses of Uttarakhand. After photographing the Janaki Chatti Forest Rest House I had decided to trek up to Yamunotri. Although the pilgrimage season was over and the shrine would be closed, I was curious to visit the source of the mighty Yamuna.
After a long and steady walk I was at the highest point of the trail. The track passes through a very old oak forest, crosses a ridge and then descends to the Yamunotri shrine. The forest was silent and the birding had been quite slow.

It was the beginning of the monsoon season. We were birding along the Taluka – Naitwar road, a few kilometers from the Naitwar village, in the Govind National Park (Uttarakhand). Birding was slow, possibly due to the intermittent showers we had been having throughout the day. We were walking along a stretch of the road that travels through a nice broadleaved forest. The shade of the great trees made the forest floor quite dark.

Our car was nearing Khab, a small village at the point where the Spiti river meets the mighty Sutlej river, while on our way back from a long visit to the Spiti valley. We were driving through some of most treacherous roads in India in my Alto (a small 800cc car). I was on the driving seat, concentrating on the road, which wound along a narrow gorge far above the Spiti river.

Suddenly a Chukar (Alectoris chukar) ran down the hillside, crossed the road and paused at the edge. The car was slow and I managed to stop it without startling the bird. Although we were quite close, the Chukar stood very still and looked back at us enquiringly. I bought my camera up very carefully and managed to take a photograph before it jumped off the edge of the road and glided down to some rocks far below us.

The temples of Khajuraho were built by the Kings of the Chandela dynasty during the 10th and the 11th century CE. The building of these temples started almost immediately after the Chandelas came into power. Surviving temple inscription suggest that many of the currently existing temples were completed between 970 to 1030 CE.

The temples are made of very good quality sandstone, with a granite foundation that is usually concealed. The builders didn’t use mortar: the stones are put together with mortise and tenon joints and they are held in place by gravity. This form of construction requires very precise joints. The columns and architraves were built with megaliths that weighed up to 20 tons.

The pink city of Jaipur is unique in that it is the only pre-modern Indian city that was built according to a master plan, in one go. The walled city of Jaipur still retains the distinct architectural character imparted by its unique heritage, and it still is a photographer’s dream come true.